India Travel Ban Challenged In Australian Court

What Is The Case

• A 73 year old man living in Bangalore who wishes to return to Australia had filed a case before the Australian Court challenging the constitutional validity of the travel ban on the grounds of reasonableness and proportionality.
• The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison announced ban on travelers from India.
• Even Australian citizens returning to the country were to face jail time and heavy fines.
• This decision has been subjected to widespread outrage calling it to be racist and abandonment of vulnerable Australian citizens overseas.
• An estimate of 9000 citizens including the cricketers who were in India for the Indian Premiere League are forced to stay back in India.

Government’s Opinion

• The Government stated that this ban was a necessary step to ensure that the quarantine facilities are not over whelmed with Covid-19 positive arrivals.
• The country has not seen community transmission of the virus but only outbreaks from hotel quarantine facilities.

Expert Opinion

• There are not many rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution of Australia.
• It is very unlikely for the challenge to succeed.
• The decision of the judges is likely to be titled towards the opinion of the government’s public health experts.

What Does The Court Have To Say

• The Court has accepted the challenge filed against the ban which has been scheduled till May 15.
• The case is posted for hearing.

What do you think of the travel ban in Australia and other countries? Tell us in the section below!